Electrometallurgical furnace.



P. LOUVRIER. ELEGTROMETALLUR'GIGL PURNAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1 8,`1909.

Pantea Dec. 13,1910. I

H w07/ ,vz o y 4Inventor Attorney' UNrrED sTArns PATENT OFFICE.

1 .FnnNors Louvnrnn, or Mexico, MEXICO.

Av'dallacnrnonninaIQ'LUncIcaL FURNACE.

To all whom it may cori/ecmv v Beit known.that 1,: Franois ILoin'nrnn, a citizen bf the,l Republic:V of..France,` resid ing at Mexico, D. F.,.\Iexico, haveinvented certain new and useful. 'Improvements vm Illectrometallurgical I\"urnaces; and-I 'do hereby declare that` the. following is afull, clear, and exactv descriptionyof the invention. such as willen-ablel others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same. y I

e 'Elie invention to be hereinafter described relates to" metallurgical furnaces, and 'more partcularlytolectroriietallurgical furnaces.

I of reducing chambers arranged.` in battery Broadly speakinfr, it comprises a .plurality f orm ation, 4 loadin columns j'for' v feedi n g 'ore to the reduction c iambers, gates'k for cuttingI otl' theifecd of the ore, spouts forv withdrawing the 'slugs from the'reductionphambers, a preliminary cruciblebe'tween the reducing chambers communicating therewith and con- .necting them electricallylspouts -for withdrawing vslagaritljni'olt'en metal `from the preliminary crumble chamber, oneor two refining crucible. chambersl communicating kwith the preliminary cruciblc chamber,

spouts for withdrawing slag and refined metal from the refining chambers, electrodes for tht` reduction chambersI and the crucible chambers, means for introducing refining material into the erucibles, means for delivering air to the interior of -the refining crucibles, means for conductingthc gases from the .reduction and Crucible chambers, and means' for burning these gases in the charging columns, when desired.

In order to more clearly disclose the constructiomoperation and use of the invention, reference should bc had to the accompanying drawings forming part. of the pres-q ent application.

Throughout the several .figures of the drawings,I like reference characters` designate the same parts.

In thel drawings: Figure 1l is a central vertical` longitudinal section on line 1 1 of Fig. 2;I Fig. Q is a central vertical cross secl tion on line 2--2 of Fig. l; `and Fig. 3 50- horizontal cross section on line 3-3 of 1 il the preferred form of the invention, a plurality of reduction chambers and crucibles are electrically arranged in series, as shown in. Figs. l and 2, in order to present a' more compact and economical construcisa' --.=:V dui-Specification of Letters atent. Patented Dac. 13, 1910. ap'piieaticii'aiea'December 1e, 1909. serial No. 533,862.

tion. As constructed in this inst-ance, two reduction chambers Il and II are shown as well as two erucibles F and' T, thev first-off -the latter bein in direct communication with the reduction chambers and serving to chambers are fed through the chagin col umns G, acress the lower ends of whic Tex tend the iron bars a which act to prevent any severe shocks and consequent in]ury to loading columns and` reduction chambers may be closed or opened by swinging gates l operated'byhandwheels from the exterior sired.. The loading 'columns-falso serve to 'evacuate the gases generated during the working of the furnace. These gases can be evacuated into the atmosphere, or conducted by means of :inadequate contrivance to reservoir-s100 to be utilized in the most convenienfmanner. If the gases are com,-

bustib1e,. the loading columns or the upper part'cf the reduction chambers can' be constructedtobnrn them, installing twyers 200 to` distribute air. The upper entrance of the charging. columns has r lid, which can bc provided vwitha safety,1 valve 300. The ;upper lateral part Z of each of the reduc- .tion chambers has an opening, closed with a refractory door which ishandled with a balanced lever 400. The furnaces liev one against the other in order to reduce'the number of loading columns. withdraw the slag from the reducing chambers, spouts L are provided.

Electrodes E, vE or groups of 'shunted through airtight openings through the tops 'et' thc reduction chambers. They may be raiscd or lowered by any well known mechanism, and electric meters may be inserted the current being used. 4

' VThe/lower space between the two reduction chambers is divided by a Vertical wall il into two compartments, each constitutingl a Crucible, one being `for preliminary or partial refining and the other for. final or complete refining. The erucibles so formed, are provided with covers', and may be oper- A.ated independently one of the other. T -he floor of the preliminary Crucible F is in the connect them electrically,by means of the. metal that' it contains.. The reduction the masonry, caused by the fall of the ore,- while feeding. Communication between the electrodes are movably mounted to slidein their circuit to indicate the strength of of the furnace, orin any other manner' de- ,A

In order to lesa-me plane as the loorsofthe. reducing 'l metal with -vthe reduction'y slag.

.cir-nity refined for the purpose to' which it ,-:is

'by' way of the openinglll made in the parchambers l and ll. and communicates with I them by wai' ol' thepassages U through the lower ends nl' the walls l, in order to preventithe prolonged contact of'itlie Areduced Thus, molten metal will flow from the reduction cli'ainbois l and ll through the i'iassages Uand int-'i the preliminary ci'iicible F. -lf suffito e put, the metal may be Atapped oft through the spout V, after the slag has been tapped ofi' through the spout L', of course. lint it is necessary to leave a thin layer of metal upon the ,oor of this cru'ciblc- F to connect electrically between the-m the two reduction chambers.

Should the temperature vin the .Crucible F drop' 'below the' necessary.degree notwithstanding the principal electric current which constantly traverses its-metal, one electrode h may beV used to heat tliea'netal, by meansui'f a voltaicarc. Should it be desired to further refine the metal, it 'may tition ll. The chamber 'l is, of course, lower than the -chamber F to allow the melted metal to'be tapped from F into T.A In theciucible T, two electro'des S' similar; to the electrode S are placed and form an independent electrical system. 'Openings O for the introduction .of refining agents should aiso`be provided in the tops of the crucihles Fand T. These openings, as well as the opening H, n'iay be easily shutv by elosiires iii any ivell known way.' The upper` part of the wall'Q ot' crueible T can have an opening provided with a refractory door handledliy a balanced lever 401. The slag pm v be tapped off from this refining crueible through the spout N, and lthe refined metal through the spout M. Should the. refining process `require injection of air, twyers 'may be;used to deliver jets of com-A pressed air into the mass of melted metalJ Fluesl .l are connected-to the criicible chambers l and T to deliver the gases o'reacf; tion.l either to the atmosphere, or to'a siiitff: ablel reservoir lOO, or tothe loading colunin (l, as may bedesired. The space-R situagd :iiio'ie the criicibles and between the redige; tioii chambers is free and.of easy access fbi' tlie" handling of the electrodes S -aiid Sf. The furnace can liiive another Crucible similar to cruciblel and situated symmetrically to the last one with reference toA the pre liminaiv crueible l". lVhen only partially refined metal is desired. the furnace will' only have one crucible F.

'llie walls and lthe floors of the reduction chambers, as also lthe walls, roofs aiul'loors ofthe crncibles are constructed with switable refractory material provided with anl roofs, and floors are lion-conductors of electricity and ai'e not susceptible' if entering into reaction with metal 'or -the slags. Nevertheless, the floors and walls of the rel lining' Crucible l` can be furnished with aninsider lining, when -the refining or sepaiai parts of the iiiventiiin, lwithout in any way departing froni-.tlifield ,and scope of the same,- anditis meant to include all such within this application. wherein only a pre-- ferred form has been disclosed. ,.1

Having. thus fully `described my inven-v tion, what l 'claim as new and desire to se'- ciire by Letters Patent, is:- i

`1. A furnace of the character described,

comprising `a plurality of reduction chainbers electrically arranged inv series, a preliminary Crucible, communicating with' said redluction chambers 4and connecting' them electrically, by way ofthe metalfuhat it contains, means -to 'prevent the.,prolonged con-l tact 'of reduced metal withA reduction slag and meansifor conducting an electric-current liminary Crucible.

through-the reducing chambersand the pijeli2. A furnace of thecharacter described,

comprising aplurality of' reduction chain',- bers electricall arrangedrin series andlliaving floors ma e of a' non-electricall coriandconnecting them electrically, one or two refining cruci les isolated from the reduction chambers` and communicating `with the 'greliniinary Crucible, and means for conucting-an electric current through said reduction chambers and through said preliminary Crucible.

3. 'A furnace of the character described,

comprising a plurality. of reduction cham# bers arrangedelect-rically in series a'nl having loors'made of a non-electrically conductive material, a preliminary criicible communicating with said reduction cham- -bers and connect-in them electrically, one or` two refining 'cruci les communicating with said preliminary criicible, means for conducting anelectric current through the re- Crucible.

4. A furnace of the character described, comprising a plurality of redictionj'chainbers electrically arrangedl. in series, la preliminary Crucible communicating` with said reduction chambers, one oremore refining eriicibles communicating with .said preliminary crucible, means for conducting an elec- .100- ductirve material, a preliminary cru'cib e communicating ,with said reduction chambers' current through the reducing tric Current through the reducin chambers una thc preliminarycrucible,apn -meansfor Conducting a separate electrical current i the preliminary Crucible, means -for conducting a separate-electrical currenthrough the prelimiiiry Crucible, means for Conducting 'a separate electrical current Vthrugh saidA refining Crucible, Ameans for feeding" mntej rial toI the reduction chambers and means fo'r cuttin olf thefeed of material from one. or more o. the reduction chambers.

6. A. furnace` of the character described, comprising a plurality of reduction chambers electricall' liminury cruci lev communicatingwith said reduction chambers, one or two refining c ruclbles communicatmg with said preliminary v crumble, means for conducting an electric,

' Current through the reducing cham bers and preliminary and the preliminar?- cr-ucible, means `for conducting separate e ectrical currents through the refining crucibles, means to close the space between theelectrodes and :reduction chambers, fone or two retin 'Crucibles communicating wth said-prelimitriccurrent through the-reduc embers and andthe'preliminary cruciblersul meansfr arranged in series, a. pre,-

the top through which theyv pars,axldvlnean-l i to recoverl the gases produce 'or lto burn them, if combustible',

in the ..1 at 7;-A furnaceeo the characterrv described,-v

comprising a lurality of'redu'ction 'chaine` lbers Aelectrical arranged :in series; a vplf- ,I

liminary cruci communicating with 'n aicl ,nary Crucible, means forccndu'cting ain-'elec- .injec'ting-ir into the molten'r'netdl Vin the refining Crucible.

8. A 'furnace ofl the 'character giesclib'eii,v

comprising a lura'lity of reducti` chambers electrical yV arranged` in a.v preliminary crucible Communicatmgz with said embersreduction chambers, one'or two refining cru'-` Crucible, meaiisv forv 'conductin an electric current through the' reducing c ambers and ythe preliminary crucible, means for inject-V ing crueible, and as escape flues'conne'cted to said Crucible c embers..A A

cibles ccmmuiating with saidv preliminary air into the molten metal in the refining 'In witness-v whereof I have hereunto set i my hand in the resence' bf two itnesses.

, -F {ANCOIS LOA VRIER,

Witnesses: i

" LEONDOMI'NIAN,

Gr. A. GUERRA. 

